Flight International » General messageshttp://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/flight-international
Flight International staff talking about things that don't necessarily get into the magazineWed, 17 Jul 2013 17:43:38 +0000en-GBhourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.7.1Flightglobal announces the winners of this year’s aviation web awardshttp://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/flight-international/2012/02/flightglobal-announces-the-win/
http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/flight-international/2012/02/flightglobal-announces-the-win/#commentsFri, 03 Feb 2012 10:02:20 +0000http://flight-international.flightglobal.derek.rbi-blogs-dev.rmgc.russellsharpe.com/?p=454Airline ticket refund site ChangeYourFlight, an Airbus A380 advertising campaign and mobile app Smart BRIEF CABIN have outfought rivals to be numbered among the winners of the Flightglobal Webbies 2011.

The Webbies, now in its fourth year, celebrates the best and brightest in aviation websites and social media activities – and this time includes new and improved categories.

We asked flightglobal.com users to enter or nominate their favourite websites in these categories: best mobile app, a very timely category as people become more dependent on mobile devices and companies realise the potential of apps for product awareness; advertising campaign of the year; best blog; best use of social media; and, of course, best website.

The judging panel had some tough choices to find the top three in each category from a flood of quality entries.

Here are the winners…

WEBSITE OF THE YEAR

ChangeYourFlight has been held to reign supreme in this category by judges Michael Targett, head of web, Flightglobal (@fg-editor on Twitter) and Ludo Van Voren, chief executive, Aerospace eBusiness (@ludozone).

Van Voren says: “When I opened this site, I knew immediately that I was looking at the winner for this year. To me, I look for a new idea, well executed, with a potential to make a real difference in the industry. What a great concept! It is simple to use for all parties and is the ultimate definition of the win-win scenario.”

Targett hails the website as “a terrific concept that has a very neat user interface and design”, adding: “Its ease of use is well demonstrated by the cool video tour. It’s a genuine web innovation for the travel industry and represents a novel solution to any beleaguered would-be traveller. If ChangeYourFlight succeeds in partnering with more airlines it has the potential to become the eBay of the airline ticket world.”

Design Your Own Boeing 787 Dreamliner takes second place. This element of Boeing’s New Airplane website was an original initiative from the manufacturer to engage the general public in the commercial launch of the 787, says Van Voren: “Technically impeccable, the application allowed people to be very creative in their design and generated tonnes of free press coverage for Boeing. The app had all the right elements – including the ability to save your design and share it on social media platforms.”

He expresses disappointment, however, that Boeing did not run a voted-for awards contest to highlight the best entries amongst the 7,000-plus submissions.

Targett applauds Boeing for “a lovely example of how to execute an interactive promotional campaign for a new product. Fun and easy to use, the app is slick and allows visitors to share their creations with others, although Boeing could’ve gone further with this aspect of the site.”

Third place is taken by Airliners.net, which began as an aircraft spotter’s website and has developed into a strong community of aviation enthusiasts. “The website technology itself is a bit dated and lacks the look and feel of a modern website, yet the information gathered by this community is always interesting and often on the edge of news,” says Van Voren. “Time after time, the specialised press or even mainstream press will use pictures from and references to this site in their coverage of aviation breaking news. This is a fantastic example of crowdsourcing.”

Targett’s verdict: “Airliners.net’s competitive position cannot be challenged. For years it’s been the leading forum and community site for all types of visitors interested in sharing gossip, photos and views on happenings in the air transport industry.

“Packed full of content and attracting a vibrant active audience, airliners.net remains a big hitter in the online space for aviation and aerospace sites. The one negative is that the site has not really moved on in the last few years and is essentially the same proposition it was when acquired by Demand Media in 2009.”

BEST MOBILE APP

In the Webbies’ newest category, Smart BRIEF CABIN has been named the victor by judges Henk Ombelet, Flightglobal’s head of product development, and Sergio Mello, founder and chief executive of SATISFLY.

The judges are impressed with the breadth of functionality provided by this app, available on iPhone, BlackBerry and Android. They acknowledge that feedback from crew had been very positive and take-up very fast as “Smart Brief Cabin takes access to cabin crew management systems to a new level”.

In second place comes PC-12 Digital Airplane Flight Manual. This app, provided by Pilatus for free, appears to make the flight-planning job “a lot easier”. In the judges’ words: “It has a visually attractive design, coupled with appropriate functionality which allows owners and pilots to plan their flight almost effortlessly, and lets prospective customers see and test the capabilities of the aircraft. It is a great step to making EFB available to general aviation.”

The judges have put Upcast Jetbook in third place. It is, they say, “a visually stunning app with high quality photos and video that allows the user to compare the specifications of 55 different business jets side by side”.

They agree that this campaign is visually striking, with a “use of bold colours and bold typography” which they say “portrayed clear, concise brand messaging”.

Of those nominated, this campaign was remembered most strongly by the judges – a testimony to its effectiveness. “The campaign demonstrated an innovative use of cross-media platforms at air shows, in print, online and using social media,” say the judges. “Impressively, the campaign pulled travellers into a website effectively – to have 5,000 people take the time to make comments on a website is hard work.

“Also impressive is the way that the project garnered positive feedback and stories from the travelling public, which is not easy – most consumers are happy to proactively complain about things, but rarely proactively praise.”

They note the campaign’s smart use of passenger feedback in subsequent adverts to create a persuasive sense of credibility. “Passenger testimonials are more powerful and compelling than anything the manufacturer says itself; therefore [Airbus] was able to explain to airlines how customers felt about the flying experience on an A380, in customers’ own words.

“Surely, it is a useful sales tool for airlines thinking of purchasing. The campaign helped create a sense of emotion around the aircraft and continued the Airbus campaign to make the A380 a flying experience, more than just a new aircraft.”

In second place comes Bombardier’s 25th anniversary. The judges label this campaign “a very engaging way of making the history of Bombardier Aerospace very personal and a smart use of user-generated content”.

They say: “Not only was the external messaging pulled off well, but it was a good way to build staff morale and make them an integral part of the company’s success. It was successfully built and engaged with a global community, and provides a platform for a powerful communication tool.

“It had very good results in building presence on Facebook with the interested public and it demonstrates an innovative way for a company to launch its social media presence.”

And a cross-media campaign for Avios, formerly Airmiles, comes third because it “demonstrated aspirational messaging resonating with the target audience, looking for more, for less, in challenging economic times”.

The judges say: “The clever use of visuals, clean and crisp, endorses the key messages of the campaign.” Here is an effective way of “building a brand from scratch, using emotive TV and online adverts to build association with its previous brand name”, they add. “The associated public relations meant that, while there were some critics of the change, it would have been hard for members of Airmiles not to know that the programme was changing – surely this was the key challenge for the brand and the emotive television advertising helped deliver this.”

The judges say the prize-winner has “produced a number of stories that demonstrate a depth of industry understanding, delving into comprehensive industry analyses”, adding: “The site has thorough articles, and Aspire also produces in-depth reports that illuminate key insights about the goings on at the world’s largest aircraft makers.

“The success of Aspire’s content can be seen in the high number of reader comments and social media interaction with its timely content, which contains numerous scoops.

“Aspire has cultivated quality industry sources and has produced content with information not found among other similar blogs. This demonstrates that Aspire’s team has developed excellent industry sources and is seen as a credible industry source not only by its readers but also by industry people.”

In second place: David Parker Brown’s Airline Reporter. The judges feel this blog is representative of what’s best about aviation blogging on the internet: “From trip reports to breaking news, Brown captures his enthusiasm and passion for aviation, taking his readers along for the ride. The Airline Reporter brand is synonymous with the community’s passion for aviation. Every post, every tweet is done with the same infectious energy that permeates the internet’s AvGeekdom.”

Latedeparture.com lands third place for transporting readers “inside and outside of the quirky, interesting and unique facets of airports, billing itself as ‘things to do when your flight is delayed’. The site’s content ranges from airport concepts, aircraft refuelling and exploring how QR codes have changed the travelling experience. Along with its unique look and feel, Latedeparture.com has the top quality content to match.”

BEST USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

In pole position for this category is Scandinavian Airlines’ with its crowdsourcing efforts for allowing customers to select a new summer destination from Oslo. Social media aficionado and ex Runway Girl Mary Kirby, was the sole judge for this category and she deemed the airline the worthy winner for potentially changing the way network planners do their jobs going forward.

She said: “It will provide verifiable evidence that one can drive significant return-on-investment (ROI) with minimal social media investment – a measure that has been somewhat illusive to this point.

Ranked second and making its second appearance in this year’s Webbies was Boeing for its Design your own Dreamliner campaign. She asked: “How do you generate approximately $1 million in free media and generate huge talkability about your product?” and said that Boeing’s programme achieved viral status by capturing the imagination of aviation enthusiasts around the world, which “underscores the huge marketing potential of well-conceived social media strategies.”

And in third place a social media loyalty programme by Estonia Air. Kirby said: “When you’re a small airline, it’s not always easy to have your voice heard or get your name recognised. But that’s what Estonian Air achieved in launching the world’s first social media loyalty programme. Eyes are now on Estonian to see if its initiative will pave the way for fresh thinking in the quickly-evolving travel distribution space.”

At the end of ever year Flightglobal publication Flight International takes a look at how aviation contributes to humanitarian and good cause missions, such as the Orbis Flying Eye Hospital.

Freight carrier UPS wants to carry out one such humanitarian flight: flying a consignment of condoms from Singapore to Sudan on behalf of the United States development agency USAID in an effort to prevent the spread of disease.

But a 1997 order from the US Department of Transportation prohibits “any transportation of cargo to or from Sudan anywhere in the world”. The blanket order was issued after the US imposed trade sanctions against the African nation, but the sanctions exempted humanitarian transactions–a dispensation the DOT left out of its order, and did not update when sanctions were loosened in 2006.

And so UPS has diligently filed paperwork requesting the DOT to approve its one-off flight sometime between May and September transporting an undisclosed number of 35 mm male lubricated latex condoms made in China by the Qinqdao Double Butterfly Group. UPS even sent a copy of its requests to competitors Atlas Air, Evergreen, Federal Express, Kalitta, and Polar Express in case there are any objections.

UPS says the consignment is destined for Juba, the capital of Southern Sudan, an autonomous region expected to become an indepedent country this July. Its flag features black, white, red, and green stripes similar to other Arab’ nations but has the unique attribute of a blue triangle with a gold star–the same two colours the condoms are planned to arrive in.

]]>http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/flight-international/2011/04/ups-requests-exemption-for-spe/feed/1New documentary spotlights how aviation helps provide medical services in West Africahttp://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/flight-international/2011/04/new-documentary-spotlights-how/
http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/flight-international/2011/04/new-documentary-spotlights-how/#commentsThu, 14 Apr 2011 14:06:38 +0000http://flight-international.flightglobal.derek.rbi-blogs-dev.rmgc.russellsharpe.com/?p=708Rex Pemberton’s forthcoming documentary ‘The Calling’ (screenshot above) features Medicine on the Move, a non-profit organisation based in Ghana that uses aviation as a vehicle to provide medical assistance in Ghana and soon, it hopes, in neighboring countries. In that regards it is much like a royal flying doctors service, but Medicine on the Move goes further.

It also aims to teach rural communities about health care, such as by flying in or dropping medical supplies and information.

Although started by Westerners, Medicine on the Move is working towards creating a local aviation industry in Ghana. It has partnered with WAASPS and Aviation Technology Academy to train Ghanaians, and females in particular, how to fly aircraft and perform maintenance.

One young female undergoing flight training says, “I want to fly the plane so that one day I can go to villages and tell them how to use medicine.”

It is that sentiment that manifests Medicine on the Move’s statement that with aviation they can “change the future of an entire generation”.

That governments directly lobby foreign governments to purchase aircraft from their country is not a secret, let alone one we needed Wikileaks to tell us about.

But the latest aviation-related cables released (which we’re following with the #AvCablegate hashtag) should not be disregarded.

They provide insight into the extent of the lobbying, which one US ambassador candidly described as “beyond every-day advocacy”.

The cables also indicate this extended lobbying was not a one-off occurrence or that Boeing wants to keep this status quo, but rather Boeing wants to increase the lobbying. An ambassador quotes a letter from Boeing saying, “The working together activity between you, your team, and Boeing is a model that we should really aspire to replicate in other countries.”

One cable concerning a Gulf Air purchase of 787s shows that Gulf Air was almost ready to sign a deal, but Boeing brushed them off thinking it was a ploy. It was only with State Department advice Boeing took Gulf Air seriously, flew to Bahrain, and inked a deal. You could half-jokingly say the State Department does everything but manufacture the jets.

While Boeing has received the headlines from these cables (they are from the US, after all), there’s no doubt Airbus engages in similar efforts. After hearing Gulf Air was swaying from purchasing A350s to 787s, French president Nicolas Sarkozy offered to add Bahrain to his regional tour if Gulf Air purchased Airbus jets.

Gulf Air went with the 787s in January 2008 and Sarkozy did not visit Bahrain, at which point the cable ends. But that May Gulf Air purchased A330s. With Boeing under-selling the 787, actions that continue to have financial implications for the company, and having to pay Gulf Air delivery delay payments, it’s plausible that Airbus wound up with the better deal by selling Gulf Air tried-and-tested A330s rather than the A350.

Finally, the cables give insight into the purchasing, negotiating, and state play that occurs in an aircraft purchase, a high-end deal kept from the public’s eyes until the order is announced.

If you’re interested in aviation–and being here, I suspect you are–the cables are well worth a read once you put them in context of mainly being informative and not strictly news.

]]>http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/flight-international/2011/01/putting-the-latest-wikileaks-a/feed/1Air New Zealand’s computer game-themed Christmas cardhttp://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/flight-international/2010/12/air-new-zealands-computer-game/
http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/flight-international/2010/12/air-new-zealands-computer-game/#commentsTue, 28 Dec 2010 12:15:03 +0000http://flight-international.flightglobal.derek.rbi-blogs-dev.rmgc.russellsharpe.com/?p=118We’re still taking it easy for the holidays, so until we resume our normal coverage, enjoy this unique Christmas card video from–who else?–Air New Zealand, the airline known for its quirky videos.

]]>http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/flight-international/2010/12/air-new-zealands-computer-game/feed/9PICTURE: Christmas over, Santa returns to his regular job: de-icing aircrafthttp://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/flight-international/2010/12/photo-christmas-over-santa-ret/
http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/flight-international/2010/12/photo-christmas-over-santa-ret/#commentsSun, 26 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0000http://flight-international.flightglobal.derek.rbi-blogs-dev.rmgc.russellsharpe.com/?p=813With the holidays upon us we thought we should with you this photo from AirSpace photographer sunshine band. Sunshine Band captioned the photo: “When he is not building toys for good boys and girls, he is de-icing aircraft at Bangor, Maine, USA.”

]]>http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/flight-international/2010/12/photo-christmas-over-santa-ret/feed/0Festive funnies dug out from the archivehttp://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/flight-international/2010/12/festive-funnies-dug-out-from-t/
http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/flight-international/2010/12/festive-funnies-dug-out-from-t/#commentsSat, 25 Dec 2010 12:00:00 +0000http://flight-international.flightglobal.derek.rbi-blogs-dev.rmgc.russellsharpe.com/?p=417Looking in the archive we can see how Flightglobal used to celebrate the festive period. Here are a couple of discoveries.

1942 the second year of lighthearted breaks in the serious business of wartime aviation

Bryan Bedford, the CEO of recently amalgamated Frontier Airlines (comprising Midwest Express and Republic Airways), is this week’s punter on the CBS show Undercover Boss. The premise is simple: a company’s boss goes incognito and carries out the less glamorous tasks at the company.

Working on the front line is not unfamiliar to AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes, who regularly checks-in passengers and loads bags, or Air New Zealand Rob Fyfe, who appeared in body paint and little else for a safety video. For Bedford, going undercover entailed donning a toupee (he’s bald) and glasses and trading his suit for Frontier-branded shorts and t-shirts to clean aircraft, load luggage, be a flight attendant, and service lavatories for one week.

As you would expect, there were funny moments. Bedford got sprayed with “blue juice” for the lavatories and couldn’t keep up with the safety demonstration, at one point skipping how to wear an oxygen mask, saying: “Oops. Missed that part.”

But how did his experience affect his management of Frontier? After the week he goes back to his senior management and reports: “From many different perspectives our airline is doing okay. But we’ve got a lot of work to do too.”

Bedford experiences seven minutes is not enough time to leave an aircraft as clean as it should be; “cross utilization agents” (“Anybody hear that term before?” Bedford quips to management) work on the ramp and then, exhausted and sweaty, check-in customers; and the 10% pay cut the previous management made was making it hard for Bedford’s employees to make ends meet. Tui, the flight attendant who Bedford worked alongside, flies six days and also deejays and luaus in order to send his children to college so they, Tui says, do not have to work three jobs like him.

Flightglobal publication Airlines Business featured a profile on Bedford last year and readers familiar with straight-talking Bedford would expect him to make these rational changes, including restoring the 10% pay cut. I was left with the impression Bedford should have, like Fernandes and Fyfe, been on the front line earlier. Bedford has seen the value from being out there and hopefully he will return to it and other executives will do the same.

Bedford also sets out to make a difference in the lives of the employees who worked with him not knowing he was the CEO. Amongst other niceties, Bedford gives Tui $20,000 to help pay for college tuition, a daunting debit Bedford sympathizes with as he has eight children himself.

Bedford was particularly touched by Sue, the energetic and always-laughing “aircraft appearance” team member (read: aircraft cleaner). Underneath her exuberance, however, was grief for her murdered son, Andre. Bedford gives Sue a holiday and tells her Frontier will name an aircraft after Andre, and Sue will select which animal goes on the tail. (She later chooses an antelope.)

It is an act that should remind everyone in the industry that buried in quarterly reports, fleet listings, and worldwide timetables are the people who bring aviation to fruition. Sue, like many Frontier employees, never asked for much and found herself enjoying the small carrier ethos. Her voice becomes hoarse–but her smile remains–as she reflects on Frontier naming a jet after her late son. “Every time I see that plane I’m going to say, ‘There go Andre. There go Andre.’”

Readers in the United States can view the full episode on the CBS website here. For those (like yours truly) in other countries, you should be able to find the episode flying around the internet.

]]>http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/flight-international/2010/10/frontier-ceo-bryan-bedford-cle/feed/1Poles Aparthttp://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/flight-international/2010/06/poles-apart/
http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/flight-international/2010/06/poles-apart/#commentsMon, 07 Jun 2010 16:54:45 +0000http://flight-international.flightglobal.derek.rbi-blogs-dev.rmgc.russellsharpe.com/?p=839What does a Polish plumber – scourge of his counterpart in Western Europe since European Union enlargement in 2004 – have in common with the rejuvenation of his country’s aerospace industry? Find out in this week’s Comment piece.
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